When legislators and representatives in the Maharashtra State Assembly were debating the bill banning dancing girls in bars, they were supposedly doing this to protect the dignity of women and for the welfare of women. However, some citizens groups (listed below) who observed the discussions reported quite differently.

When the dance bar bill got debated in the house some of us had been
present to listen to the debate. This is what we witnessed!!!!!!!!

"Isha Koppikar. she is an atom bomb, attttom bomb."

"chutiyas . bhadwas.." [filthy abuses]

"..these women who dance naked, they don't deserve any sympathy"

"...these women loot men and destroy their houses .. "

" these women who are opposing the ban, we will make their mothers dance.."

These seem like statements from some sleazy dialogue that the
roadside taporis indulge in.

Very sadly, these are statements made by our people's representatives
on the floor of the house in the Vidhan Sabha. This was the third
last day of the monsoon session. The contempt that was shown to all women in this session was appalling. The last comment is on all women's groups who had opposed the ban. What we have produced here is only a sample.

Throughout the discussion, across party lines, the elected members
made such comments while ostensibly passing a bill to protect women's
dignity!

One representative narrated an incident of his friend's daughter who had committed suicide because she did not get a job. He said it was more dignified to commit suicide than dance in bars. The house applauded. How the representatives of people can applaud when a
young girl commits suicide when it is their anti-people, anti-women
and anti-job growth policies that make them lose their means of
livelihood in the first place, is a matter of grave concern.

As women's organisations of Maharashtra, we are extremely angered by the insensitivity and anti-women statements and atmosphere in the house. The undercurrent of the comments and discussions was pornographic and obscene and was greeted with laughter and sniggering by the predominantly male House. So much for protecting the Constitutional mandate of protecting the dignity of women.

Women are more than 50% of the voters of this state. The utter
disregard to the feelings and dignity of women exhibited by our so-
called representatives is disgusting and needs total condemnation.

Signed by:
Forum Against Oppression of Women
Majlis
Awaaz-E-Niswan
Akshara
India Centre for Human Rights and Law
Centre for Enquiry into Health and Allied Themes
LABIA

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